Mercerizing apparatus



April 22, 1941. E. WEISS v MERCERIZING APPARATUS Filed May 22, 1939 3Sheets-Sheet l W 5 T N. Vs T mm ,m W

Y B v April 22, 1941. E. WEISS MERCERIZING APPARATUS Filed May 22, 19393 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Ems? Weiss ATTORNE 5 Patented Apr. 22, 1941MERCERIZING APPARATUS Ernst Weiss, Wattwil, Switzerland, assignor toHeberlein Patent Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication May 22,1939, Serial No. 274,967

In Germany October 15, 1937 7 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for mercerizing fabrics and isespecially adapted for the mercerization of fabrics according toprocesses such as disclosed in my Patent No. 2,203,375 granted June4,'1940, reference to which is hereby made.

Some of the features of the apparatus hereinafter disclosed are alsoshown and described in said patent. This; application is a continuationin part of my copending application Ser. No. 256,443, filed February 15,L939.

According to the improved mercerization processes described in saidpatent, piece goods may be so mercerized as to have an exceptionallyhigh luster, while retaining their other good textile properties such astensile strength, etc. A further characteristic feature of the piecegoods mercerized by said processes, consists in the fact that the goodsafter completion, possess an increased dimension as compared with theoriginal measurement, in at least one direction, that is, an increase inlength or width, even if they have been subjected to a mechanical orchemical shrink-proofing process after mercerization. Yetnotwithstanding such increased measurment, the finished goods arestabilized to a high degree against subsequent shrinkage and thereforeshrink comparatively little or substantially not at all, when subjectedto repeated washmg.

The objects of the present invention include the provision of a novelarrangement and combination of apparatus parts especially adapted fordependably and rapidly carrying out in various ways the processes abovereferred to and for effectively controlling the proper performance ofthe various steps of the process. The apparatus according to one of thephases of this invention, is made so adjustable as to give to the fabricthe predominant high mercerization sheen or luster, and the increasedmeasurement, either along the direction of the warp or the weft asdesired, or to varying degrees in either or both directions. Theapparatus is also adaptable, if desired, for the improvedmercerizationof fabric in accordance with other processes.

Various further and more specific objects, features and advantages willclearly appear from the detailed description given below taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification and illustrate merely by way of example preferred forms ofthe invention. The invention consists in such novel features,arrangements and combinations of parts shown and described in connectionwith of various of the rollers of the apparatus of Fig.

the examples of the apparatus herein disclosed.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view illustrating somewhat schematicallythe portions of a. preferred example ofthe mercerization apparatus towhich this invention more particularly relates;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing somewhat schematically and on asmaller scale, portions 1, together with a preferred driving arrangementtherefor;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view showing a portion of the apparatus ofFig. 1 considerably enlarged and in further detail;

Fig. 4 is another elevational View of the apparatus of Fig. 3 and takenat right angles to the view of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top view of the apparatus of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view similar to that shown in Fig. 1 butillustratin'ga modified form of the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7 is a top plan view, on a somewhat smaller scale, showing somewhatschematically the driving train of the apparatus of Fig. 6.

In order that the description of the mechanism hereinafter disclosed,and its purposes may be more clearly understood, some of the importantfeatures of the-preferred mercerization process to be carried outthereby will first be explained.

,In accordance with such process, which is more fully described in myabove-mentioned patent, the material to be treated which may comprise asubstantially continuous web of vegetable fiber fabric, is firstthoroughly and quickly mechanically impregnated with lye of mercerizingstrength, such impregnation being effected before any substantialswelling of the fiber takes place. 'I'hereupon the fabric as it proceedsis allowed to become homogeneously swelled under conditions which permitshrinkage mainly in the direction of the yarn along which thepredominant luster or sheen is to be obtained. Thereafter and while thefiber is in substantially its maximum swollen condition, the fabric isstrongly overstretched by tensioning the same in said direction which isto mainly impart the sheen, such stretching being insufficient to causebreakingthereof or tearing of the fabric. Meanwhile the fabric is alsostrongly stretched in the other direction. Then while'the goods areretained with these stretched treatment provided for by the apparatusmay be summarized as:

AMechanical impregnation.

B-Swelling and shrinking.

C-Stretchinglengthwise and crosswise.

DFixing.

E-Washing.

Referring now to the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, two webs of fabric to betreated, as at I and II, may be continuously drawn into the right handend of the equipment as shown, and after treatment these webs inmercerized condition pass out at the left hand end of the equipmenttogether as indicated at l2. Fabric web guides of any suitablewell-known type are indicated at l3 and |4, from which the webs passover guiding rollers as at I5 for combining the webs (if two webs are.to be treated at the same time). The webs then may pass over a pluralityof axially curved spreading rollers as at l6 which serve to permit thefabric to proceed without folds. Rollers of such type per se are wellknown and will hereinafter be referred to as bent spreading rollers.From the rollers IS the fabric webs pass over a roller |1 located in atrough l8 containing the mercerization liquid with which the fabric isto be impregnated. The fabric may then be passed upwardly and betweensqueezing rollers I9, 20, the roller |9 for example being of hard rubberand the roller 20 of soft rubber. Between the roller l1 and the rollersI9, 29, there occurs a rapid thorough wetting of the goods with themercerization liquid. The squeezing rollers .l9, 20 bring about anintensive mechanical impregnation of the fabric with the liquid beforeany substantial swelling of the fiber takes place. These squeezingrollers should preferably have a gap pressure of about 3.5 kilograms percentimeter and may preferably be driven with a surface speed higher thanthat of the rollers.

'tends from the point of tangency of the rollers modified embodiment ofthe invention to be hereinafter described. V

A pair of powerful squeezing rollers is provided as at 23, 24 comprisingfor example a lower soft rubber roller and an upper iron roller, Betweenthe roller assembly 2|, 22 and the squeezing rollers 23, 24, there maybe provided a tension testing device a of a suitable well-known type, soas to enable the operator to determine and control the tensionconditions as above referred to during the swelling of the goods.

The squeezing rollers 23, 24 are preferably driven separately from theprior and subsequent rollers, or are so driven that the speed thereofmay be adjusted independently of the others. A speed difference of theorder of about 3% to 5% between the rollers |920 and 2324 has beensuccessfully employed in apparatus according to this embodiment. Therollers 23, 24 are pressed together, for example hydraulically by knownmeans, for applying a pressure in the neighborhood of kilograms percentimeter and sufficient to prevent slippage of 'the fabric whensubjected to powerful stretching starting at these The swelling andshrinking stage B ex- |9--20 to the point of tangency of the rollers23--24, Above the rollers 23, 24 a tension testing device 25, similar to25:1, may be located. This device comprises a roller 26 preferablymounted on ball bearings and over which the fabric is carried, thisroller being supported on a suitable lever arm or arms 21 which in turnare pivotally mounted as at 28, this pivotal mountsucceeding rollers 2|and 23-24 hereinafter next described. This degree of difference in speedmay be desirably varied in accordance with the particular fabric beingtreated. Apparatus made in accordance with this embodiment has beensuccessfully operated at a speed difierence of the order of about 1%between the rollers |92|i and the succeeding driven rollers 2|.Mechanism for maintaining the gap pressure at rollers I9, 20 is shown inoutline at 2|a, and being of a known type, need not be described infurther detail.

If desired, the mechanical impregnation (stage A) may also be effectedby suitable known vacuum impregnating equipment instead of using thesqueezing rollers. From the squeezing rollers, the fabric passes downinto the trough l9 again and around each of a series of rollers 2| and22. The rollers 2| may be uniformly driven while rollers 22 may eachrest on a pair of the rollers 2| as shown. Upon the rollers 2| and 22, ahomogeneous and thorough swelling of the fiber of the fabric takesplace. At the same time there may occur here in part at least thedesired shrinkage, and this may be regulated by adjusting the surfacespeed of the squeezing rollers I9 and 2|] so that it will be slightlygreater than for the rollers 2| as above specified.

Instead of the particular type of roller assembly shown at 2| and 22,other known equipment may be used which will permit the desired swellingand shrinking at this point, as for example fabric shrink ng bathequipment made up' of simple guide rollers within the trough; as will bemore fully referred to in conjunction with the ing preferably being alsoprovided with ball bearings. The lever or levers 21 at the other side ofthe pivot 28 may be extended to carry a counterweight as at 29 and areconnected to a spring balance as at 30. With such a device the tensionsmay be easily measured so as to permit the desired control of the fabrictreatment. Instead of such a measuring device, other known tensiondevices may be used, for example a weighted pendulum roller or the like.The tension testing device 25 is followed by guide rollers'as at 3|, 32and then by an assembly of rollers 33 for stretching the fabrictransversely and also co-. operating with the squeezing rollers 23, 24for longitudinally stretching the fabric to the desired extent ascompared with the transverse stretching. Accordingly, stage C, where thefabric is stretched, both in width and length, extends from the point oftangency of the rollers 23-24 through the assembly of rollers 33 to theoutput side thereof.

Reference will now be had to Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive, showing the rollerassembly 33 in further detail. This assembly comprises, for example,four of the bent type of spreading rollers as at 34 to 31 inclusive.These rollers may have, for example, a radius of curvature of 2000 mm.

- (curvature of their axes) and a diameter of about mm. and arepreferably covered with rubber hose as indicated at 38 in Fig. 5. Therollers 35 and 31 are mounted with'bearings of a suitable type known perse, in fixed positionon frame 38, whereas the bearings for spreadingrollers 34 and 36 are mounted upon a movable and adjustable sub-frame39. The sub-frame 39 is adjustable in a horizontal direction by fourthreaded spindles as at 40, so that the angles of the loops of fabricformed in passing over the spreading rollers, and accordingly thespreading effect, may be adjusted. That is, the lengths of the arcs ofcontact between the fabric and each of the spreader rollers is therebymade adjustable.v By such an driven rollers of they group sembly 5| isso made that the fabric as pretially the same along the warp and theweft.

This adjustment may be quickly varied during operation of the machine tomeet varying conditions with different fabrics, etc., and withoutchanging the form or curvature of the spreading rollers.

The positions of the threaded spindles 40 may be quickly and uniformlyadjusted as by turning a hand wheel 4| mounted on a shaft 42 carryingbevel gears at 43.and 44 and a sprocket 45. The sprocket 45 is connectedby a chain 46 with another sprocket 41 mounted on another shaft 48similar to the shaft 42 and carrying additional bevel gears as at' 49and 50. Each of the spindles 40 carries a bevel gear as at 40 adapted tobe engaged respectively by the bevel gears 43. 44, 49, 50, and theoperation of which will be readily apparent from the drawings, Figs. 3to 5.

The next stage of the apparatus (following the stretching stage C) isthe fixing stage D, where provision is made for removing, in largemeasure, the treating caustic while at the same time maintaining thefabric dimensions of width and length as previously determined in stageC. In the present embodiment of Fig. 1 a plurality of bent rollers 5| isemployed; although as will be understood by those skilled in the artother suitable and well-known means, such as cylindrical extenders orthe like, may be employed for this purposeit being understood, however,that in this stage no stretching of the fabric is effected, but on thecontrary the previously determined width and length are maintained. Therollers 5| may be of cast iron of a radius of curvature of about 2550mm. and of a diameter of about 150 mm. This assembly preferably inclinesdownwardly and the last few of this group of rollers dip into a .trough52 for containing liquid for removing the mercerization lye. This troughis provided with a connection as at 53 for admitting steam to maintainthe washing liquid in the trough in heated condition. Above the first ofthe rollers 5| is positioned a number of spray nozzles as at 54. Thesenozzles are supplied with liquid pumped from the trough 52 as forexample by a centrifugal pump 55 connected with the nozzle through asuitable filtering device 56.

While the spreading rollers of the assembly 33 need not be driven,certain of the rollers of the group 5| are preferably driven uniformly,for example, the first eight rollers of this group, and with a surfacespeed. adjustable independently of the surface speed of the rollers 23,24,

whereby the desired stretching effects are accomplished between thelatter rollers and the The roller asviously stretched will be maintainedwith its dimensions substantially constant during the removal of thelye. I

The lye removing trough 52 is followed by a lye remover assembly 60'preferably operating on the counter current principle and of anysuitable known type adapted for removing the residues of dilute -lyewhich may have remained on the fabric after being sprayed and afterpassing through trough 52. The device 60 comprises a series of rollersand chambers arranged as shown or as otherwise known in the art for thepurpose, and hence need not be described in further detail except thatit is noted that the first three upper rollers as at 6|, for example,are preferably driven.

The lye remover 60 may be followed by further nozzles as at 62 at whichthe fabric is washed and these may be followed by a pair of squeezingrollers as at 63, one of hard rubber and the other of soft rubber. Therollers 63 may be followed by washers and delivery rollers.

and further well-known finishing equipment if desired.

Referring now to Fig. 2, one form of the possible driving arrangementsfor the various rollers in the above-described equipment will, now bedescribed, although it will be understood that various suitablealternative arrangements may be used. The entire apparatus may be drivenfrom amotor 10 which in turn is connected through speed reductiongearing 1|, to a shaft 12 from which the driving power may be allocatedto those portions of the apparatus, each with driving speeds relativelyadjustable during operation, 1. e., (a) the Foulard comprising therollers |9-20 is driven by shaft 13 through a variable speed deviceindicated as 14 and the shaft 13 also driving the rollers 2| throughsuitable sprocket and chain connec tions as at 15, thus permitting theadjustment between the surface speed of rollers |92|l and rollers 2|above referred to, (b) the Foulard comprised in the squeezing rollers23, 24 driven by shaft 16 through gears as at 11, and (c) the drivenrollers of the roller assembly 5|, together with the washer rollers 6|and squeezing rollers 63 which are driven from shaft 18 through gearingas at 19, sprocket and chain connections as at 80, and gears as at 8|,8|. In addition the subsequent washing equipment (if any is used), anddischarge rollers following the rollers '63 may be driven as by a pulley82 on shaft I8. It will be noted that the shafts l3 and 16 as shown maybe interconnected by a variable drive connection as at'83, so that theabove-mentioned group (a) may be-driven from the shaft 16 which drivesthe rollers 23, 24, but that the speed of the group ((1) however isadjustable in respect to the rollers 23, 24 of (b). The shaft 16 may bedriven from the shafts 12 through suitable belts, gears and pulleys asshown at 84, 85. At the other end of the machine the equipment may bedriven through suitable belts and pulleys as at 86 connected to avariable speed drive 81 for driving the shaft 18 at a speed adjustablein respect to the rollers of the preceding parts of the'apparatusassembly.

The various partsof the apparatus are preferably so arranged and drivenat speeds such that the goods pass from the roller H to the rollers 23,24 in about 15 to 25 seconds, and so that the goods pass from therollers 23, 24 to the first roller of the assembly 5| in about 10 to '15seconds. Apparatus operated within these timing periods hassatisfactorily carried out the process described in my said copendingapplication, but it is to be understood that these time periods aregiven by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

Suitable measuring devices may be applied to the fabric as at 90, 9|,for engaging the fabric respectively at a point before it enters theapparatus and at a point after it leaves the apparatus. These devicesmay be suitably interconnected by a means known to those skilled in theart for constantly indicating to the operator the percentage gain orloss in the yardage of the fabric during its passage through theapparatus, so that the operator may adiust the stretching equipmentaccordingly, to produce the desired results in the finished fabric,either according to the process described. in the above-mentionedcopending application or otherwise.

Modification Referring more particularly to Figs. 6 and 7, anotherembodiment of the invention will be described as a modification of thatdisclosed in Figs. 1 and 2. For ready comparison of the respectiveembodiments, and to facilitate an understanding of the modifiedstructure, parts and elements thereof identical with or corresponding torespective parts and elements of the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 will.so far as practical, be given corresponding numeral characters with a.prime sufiix Where the corresponding parts of the two embodiments areidentical, a detailed description will not be repeated.

From the input end (right hand of Fig. 6) through the squeezing rollersl9'--20, the structure is identical with that previously described withreference to Fig. 1. Instead of the arrangement of the rollers 21-22 asshown in Fig. 1, the present embodiment utilizes simple or idle rollers2l'22' cooperatively associated with the tank H3, in accordance withithe altemaitive structure; previously referred to at page 2.

Tlris arrangement facilitates shrinkage and permits a shorter length oftank l8 for the same period of time of fabric swelling and shrinkage.

From the rollers 2|'-22 the web of fabric passes between a pair of powerdriven squeezing rollers 23'24' identical to the previously describedrollers 23-24. The surface speed of theserollers is less than that ofrollers -l9'2ll', preferably in the neighborhood of or more, to permitof the desired swelling and shrinkage in the fabric travel from rollersl920' to rollers 23-24' (i. e. during stage B); and in this embodimentthe speed of travel during stage B progressively decreases from input tooutput due to the progressive increase in swellingand shrinkage. Afterpassing between rollers 23-24' the fabric passes into stage C, where itpasses over roller 26' of a tension testing device 25', similar inconstruction and position to the corresponding device 25 of Fig. 1, andthence over guide rollers 3| and 32 to a' stretching unit 33'. Thestretching unit 33' is constructed and functions in the same manner asthe corresponding unit 33 of Fig. 1; and since the details ofconstruction of unit 33 are fully illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, afurther detailed description is deemed unnecessary, except to state thatin the present embodiment the unit 33' as shown comprises twice as manyrollers as does the corresponding unit 33 of Figs. 1-5, inclusive.

From the stretching stage the fabric passes into the fixing stage Dcomprising a group of rollers 5| of which the first two rollers 92 arepositive driven powerful squeezing rollers which may be of similarstructure as the rollers 23'-2l' and serve to positively grip andforcefully pull the fabric through the stretching stage C. The surfacespeed of the rollers 92 is separately adjustable from that of therollers 23-24 and l9'--29' and is adjusted to effect a higher speed offabric feed from the stretching unit 33 than the speed of the fabric asdelivered to the unit 33, for the purpose of effecting the desiredlongitudinal and transverse stretching of the fabric as heretoforedescribed in connection with the apparatus of Fig. 1. The remainingrollers of the group 5! are arranged in an upper and a. lower series.ries is driven at the same surface speed as that of rollers 92, and therollers of th upper series are supported by the lower rollers; with thefabric passing alternately around successive lower and upper rollers inthe manner previously described in connection with the rollers 2l-22 ofFig. 1. Suitable spray nozzle means 24' is provided for delivering fiuidfrom the tank 52 to the fabric passing through the fixing stage in amanner similar to that previously described relative to the apparatus ofFig. 1; and a suitable steam inlet conduit 53 is provided as and for thesame purpose as the corresponding inlet 53 of Fig. 1. a

The fabric passes from the rollers 5| of the fixing stage D to therollers 6| within a tank 69' of the washing stage E and then out betweena measuring means 9| as in the previously described and illustratedembodiment; and since these parts are constructed, arranged and func--tion in exactly the same manner as the corresponding parts of Fig. 1further description is unnecessary.

From the foregoingit will be understood that from the time the fabric isengaged between the pair of rollers 92 and during its continuous passagethrough stages D and E until it passes out of the apparatus, its speedis substantially uniform and continuously maintained at a higher ratethan the speed of the fabric delivered by the rollers 2324 into stage C.The difference in these speeds is determined and fixed in accordancewith the degree of fabric stretch desired to be effected in stage C.

A suitable power train for driving the respective groups of drivenrollers is illustrated in Fig. 7, and willbe briefly described. Asuitable source of power, such as an electric motor 10', is connectedthrough a speed reduction means II to a. shaft 12 from which the drivingpower may be allocated to three portions ofv the apparatus, each withdriving speeds relatively adjustable during operation, i. e. (a) therollers l9'-20' driven by shaft 13' of the variable speed device 83, (b)the rollers 23'24' driven by shaft 16" through gears such as I1, and (c)the driven rollers of the group 51', the driven rollers SI and 63' whichare all driven from shaft 18' of the variable speed drive device 81. Thepair of rollers 92 is preferably driven by direct gear connection withgears such as 93 of the rollers 92 and the lower series of drivenrollers 5| is The lower se- I Accordingly, the redimension of the fabricup to from 6 to 8% greater than before treatment. And even after suchmercerized fabric is carefully and fully Slanforized, the increaseddimension as obtained in the commercial practice of the invention,amounts to from 1% to nearly 4%, depending upon the character of thefabric being treated. This increased dimension may also be obtainedwithout greater loss in the other dimension as compared with the priormercerization practice; At the same time the mercerization luster may beimproved several times over as compared with the former availableprocess, and the finished Sanforized fabric is stabilized with theincreased yardage to a remarkable degree against shrinkage even onrepeated washing. On the other hand, with the former mercerizationpractice a substantia1 loss in yardage occurs amounting generally toseveral percent.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect toparticular preferred examples, it will be understood by those skilled inthe art after understanding the invention that various changes andfurther modifications may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention, and it is intended therefore in the appendedclaims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired -.to be secured by Letters Patent is:v

1. Apparatus for mercerizing fabric piece goods, comprising a series ofdevices for acting in close succession on a continuously moving strip ofthe fabric and including, means for first effecting a thoroughpenetration of the fiber with mercerization fluid, two series of spacedapart freely mounted idle rollers providing a substantially long path offabric travel, means for applying mercerizing fluid to said fabricsubstantially'throughout said path of travel, said guide rollers andsaid fluid applying means being so constructed and arranged that saidfabric is permitted a substantially uniform rate of continuous swellingand shrinkage during said path of travel, a'pair of rotating squeezingrollers adjacent the last roller of said series of idle rollers andbetween which the fabric is engaged without substantial slippage aftersaid path of travel through said swelling and shrinkage field, a pair ofassemblies of bent idle spreading rollers over which the fabric isthereafter passed as a succession of loops, means for moving the fabricthrough the latter'rollers at a'higher surface speed than that of saidsqueezing rollers so as to cause substantial transverse stretching offurther group of, rollers at speeds adjustable in respect to thesqueezing rollers, for carrying the fabric from the spreading rollers ata greater surface speed than at the squeezing rollers, said squeezingrollers, said idle spreading rollers and said further group ofadjustable speed rollers being so constructed and arranged that thefabric is stretched lengthwise and crosswise and the crosswisestretching may be substantially varied without variation in thelengthwise fabric tension, and means for washing the mercerization fluidfrom the fabric at said further group of rollers, said latter rollersbeing so shaped and driven as to substantially retain the dimensions ofthe fabric as thus stretched.

3. Apparatus for stretching fabric which is being continuouslymercerized and advancedl ngitudinally, comprising a pair of rotating squezing rollers between which the fabric is engaged without substantialslippage, a pair of assemblies of bent idle spreading rollers over whichthe fabric is then passed as a succession' of loops, means comprisingfurther rollers for carrying the fabric from the spreading rollers at agreater surface speed than at the squeezing rollers and whereby thespreading rollers cause substantial transverse stretching of the fabricas well as permitting longitudinal stretching by said adjustablespreading rollers in cooperation with said squeezing rollers, saidfurther rollers being so constructed and arranged as to maintain thelongitudinal and transverse dimensions of said fabric substantiallyconstant from a point adjacent said spreading rollers and until removalof the mercerization liquid and means at said further rollers for firstspraying the fabric and then immersing the same to remove themercerization liquid.

4. Apparatus for stretching a web of fabric which is being continuouslymercerized and advanced longitudinally and for then carrying the fabricwith its stretched dimensions substantially the fabric as well aslongitudinal stretching in means between said squeezing rollers andsaidspreading rollers to gauge the longitudinal tension of the fabric, afurther group of rollers beyond said spreading rollers and adjacent tothe output side thereof and means for driving said maintained untilafter the substantial removal of mercerizing liquid, comprising meansfor subjecting said fabric to mercerization liquid and effectingsubstantially maximum swelling there.

by, a plurality of bent idle spreading rollers around portions of thesurface of eachof which in succession the fabric is carried while insubstantially maximum swelled condition, whereby the fabric forms asuccession of loops, means for mounting each alternate roller in spacedrelationship with respect to the shortest path between the rollers justpreceding and succeeding, means for adjusting such mounting means tovary such spaced relationship, whereby the extent of the contact of thefabric with the roller surfaces is varied, thereby varying the extent oftransverse stretching of the fabric, means for feeding the fabric tosaid rollers at a predetermined speed, means for feeding the fabric fromthe rollers at greater speed than the said speed of delivery of thefabric to said rollers to thereby pull the fabric over the said rollersunder longitudinal stretching tension, the construction and arrangementof the parts being such that the longitudinal tension may be variedwithout varying the crosswise stretching, a plurality of rollerspositioned beyond said first rollers for receiving the fabric instretched condition as it leaves said first rollers and so constructedand arranged as to maintain substantially constant the dimensions of thefabric while thereon and means for washing mercerization liquid fromsaid fabric after passage through said spreading rollers and duringpassage through said dimension-maintaining means.

5. Apparatus for mercerizing fabric piece goods, comprising a series ofdevices for acting in close succession on a continuously movin strip ofthe fabric and including, means for etfecting a thorough impregnation ofthe fabric with mercerization fluid, a pair of power driven squeezingrollers operable to feed the fabric at a predetermined speed less thanthat at said im pregnating means and so constructed and arranged as togrip and hold said fabric against slippage while being fed therethrough,means intermediate said impregnating means and pair of rollers forsupporting and guiding said fabric during a swelling period and soconstructed and arranged as to permit progressive shrinkage at a.substantially uniform rate, power driven feeding means spaced beyondsaid pair of rollers and tudinal tension, roller means intermediate saidpair of rollers and power driven feeding means so constructed andarranged as to impart to the fabric passing therethrough a predeterminedsubstantial transverse tension, and dimension maintaining means beyondand immediately adjacent said transverse stretching means and soconstructed and arranged as to hold said fabric substantially in itsstretched condition while conveying it at substantially uniform speedduring removal of the mercerizing agent.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of means forbriefly subjecting the fabric to a mercerizing fluid, a pair ofsqueezing rollers between which the fabric is squeezed to effectmechanical impregnation immediately aft er said brief period ofsubjection, two spacedapart series of rollers each comprising aplurality of idle rollers about which the fabric is passed from 'saidsqueezing rollers, means for subjecting fabric passing over said idlerollers to mercerizing fluid, said series of rollers and fluidsubjecting means being so constructed and arranged that ing saidmechanical impregnation, a second pair of squeezing rollers betweenwhich said fabric passes from said swelling and shrinking field.

and by which said fabric is held against substantial slippage, saidfirst and second pairs of squeezing rollers being driven atpredetermined speeds to permit substantially maximum swelling andshrinkage of said fabric intermediate said pairs of rollers, a tensionmeasuring device disposed adjacent the output side of said second pairof rollers, means adjacent to the output side of said tension measuringdevice for effecting lateral and longitudina1 stretching of said fabricand so disposed with respect to said second pair of squeezing rolls andswelling and shrinking field as to act upon said fabric at substantiallymaximum swelling thereof, dimension-maintaining means adjacent to theoutput side of said stretching means constructed and arranged to receivesaid fabric before substantial washing thereof and to maintain saidfabric in substantially the same dimensional condition as it isdelivered from said stretching means, and means for removing asubstantial portion of ,said mercerizing fluid from said fabric while itis being carried on said dimension-maintaining means to thereby fix saidfabric.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of means forbriefly subjecting the fabric to a mercerizing fluid, a pair ofsqueezing rollers between which the fabric is squeezed to effectmechanical impregnation immediately after said brief period ofsubjection, means to whichthe fabric is passed from said squeezingrollers constructed and arranged for then conducting the fabric in thepresence of said fluid for a relatively long path of travel whereby saidfabric is provided with a swelling and shrinking field following saidmechanical impregnation, a second pair of squeezing rollers betweenwhich said fabric passes from said swelling and shrinking field and bywhich said fabric is held against substantia1 slippage, said first andsecond pairs of squeezing rollers being driven at predetermined speedsto permit substantially maximum swelling and shrinkage of said fabricintermediate said pairs of rollers, a tension measuring device disposedadjacent the output side of said second pair of rollers, means adjacentto the output side of said tension measuring device for effectinglateral and longitudinal stretching of said fabric and so disposedwithrespect to said second pair of squeezing rolls and swelling andshrinking field as to act upon said. fabric at substantially maximumswelling thereof, dimension-maintaining means adjacent to the outputside of said stretching means constructed and arranged to act upon saidfabric before substantial washing thereof so as to maintain said fabricin substantially the same dimensional condition as it is delivered fromsaid stretching means, and means for removing a substantial portion ofsaid mercerizing fluid from said fabric while it is being carried onsaid dimension-maintaining means to thereby fix said fabric.

ERNST WEISS.

